Disband the TPVs and similar groups

[IrishIvan]

Somebody should run a poll in the newspaper or Thaivisa. Its glaringly obvious these guys need to go

[transam]

If a volunteer is allowed to carry ''weapons'' he should have a security check with the law of their country regarding if he has a record. Easy really if the real BiB want to bolster their numbers with unpaid staff.

As for dodgy TPV, well, folk can become dodgy at any time, even a clean bloke. I am sure there are dodgy real BiB out there.

Whats the point of having such a check done ?In most european countrys for most offenses one gets a clean slate after a few years and we all know whos running the tpv in pattaya.

Yeh, for speeding..........

[LivinginKata]

2 posts - let's try to stay away from the unhelpful remarks and try to post with positive suggestions..

[IrishIvan]

I think its more appropriate that people wear volunteer on their shirts instead of police. This is an example of a policeman I saw in Kamala today

[simon43]

In the sake of adding some useful content to this thread, I did a little Googling research to see how/if other countries provide volunteer (ie unpaid) Tourist Assistants to welcome and help tourists in their city/state. The roles that I was searching for were unpaid and not involving policing. (I found plenty of paid Tourist Assistant roles...)

My research turned up results such as:

North Platte (USA) had a volunteer role as a Tourist Greeter, ideal for the over 55's

Adelaide (Australia) Tourist Greeter.

There were many such roles advertised, mostly based in tourist offices, but like the above roles, there were some 'street-walking' positions. It was not clear if these roles were available for non-nationals of the country, but I assume that so long as you are not an illegal AND can speak the local language, then you might be suitably-qualified to apply.

Howabout volunteer police officer?

There are certainly volunteer police groups in many different cities. The UK Metropolitan Police service is an example where non-British nationals may become volunteers.

Their web-page (extract here http://www.metpolicecareers.co.uk/eligibility_requirements.html), indicates the requirements to be a volunteer, which includes stringent background checks, 3 years of residency in the UK, and NO visible tattoos.... Interestingly, there is no statement about the need to speak English, but I'd take it as read that volunteers would need to be able to converse in English.

The USA has a scheme for reserve or volunteer police officers whose duties sound rather similar to those of the Thai TPVs:

• Responds to car accidents, medical emergencies, crime scenes, suspicious activities, altercations and requests for law enforcement assistance.

• Provides public assistance and encourages good relationships between the public and the police force.

• Administers first aid to injured persons.

• Performs interviews and takes written statements from crime victims, witnesses and suspects.

• Prepares and submits written reports regarding all of the above.

• Apprehends suspects and performs arrests and transportation to the required detention facility. Detaining suspects can involve car chases, pursuing suspects on foot and using physical force to subdue suspects, if necessary.

• Enforces traffic laws, issues citations, directs traffic and assists disabled vehicles.

• Investigates traffic accidents and gathers evidence.

• Responds to reports of child neglect and abuse and refers to the proper authorities.

• Serves warrants, subpoenas, testifies in court, and councils with other law enforcement officials such as the District Attorney’s Office to provide assistance with case preparations.

A specific example of this scheme is detailed on the LAPD web-site:

http://www.lapdonline.org/join_the_team/content_basic_view/542

In particular:

Requirements

1 Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application for membership
2 Must be in good physical and mental health with no disabling physical condition
3 Must possess a valid California Class C driver's license
4 Must not have a history of criminal or improper personal conduct that may affect suitability for police work
5 Must possess a United States high school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent
6 United States citizenship required or have applied for citizenship

Examination

1 Preliminary Background Application (PBA) and Job Preview Questionnaire (JPQ)
2 Personal Qualifications Essay
3 Initial Background Review
4 Polygraph Examination
5 Department Interview
6 Medical Evaluation/Psychological Evaluation
7 Physical Abilities Test (PAT - Treadmill)
8 Certification and Appointment

Training

Level III Reserve Officers receive approximately 240 hours of professional classroom instruction.

Classes are not conducted on days that fall on major holidays. Classroom training methods are similar to those used in institutions of higher learning. Academic subjects are normally taught in a standard classroom setting and appropriate examinations are administered to ensure mastery of the subject matter. As training progresses, role-playing and practical field exercises are introduced.

Level III Reserve Officers also receive approximately 26 hours of basic self-defense including wrist locks, twist locks, kicks and other techniques at the lower end of the Department's use-of-force scale. Physical fitness exercises are used to prepare recruits for self-defense training.

Equipment

Police equipment and uniforms are provided

Commitment

Level III Reserve Officers, after graduating from the academy, are required to work a minimum of 16 hours every month and attend mandatory monthly reserve officer meetings.

Note the requirement to be a US citizen and that equipment/uniform is provided (Thai TPVs have to buy their own uniform and equipment).


In Queensland, (Australia), there is also a volunteer police programme:

http://www.police.qld.gov.au/join/vip/

This programme again emphasises the background checks and high level of training that is provided, (and which the volunteer must pass).

Here is a link to an interesting press article about volunteer policing in Hong Kong and Singapore

https://today.ucf.edu/research-volunteer-policing-spans-globe/

Finally, here is a link to an article that I wrote in 2009 about the Phuket TPVs http://www.stickmanweekly.com/ReadersSubmissions2009/reader4929.html

Note that my comments about instances of use of nightstick, pepper spray etc, and my FAQ replies refer to the situation in Phuket in 2009 - things may well have changed!

Mods - I hope it's OK to post all these links

If you take the time to visit these web-links, you'll maybe get the impression (as I did a long time ago), that those who volunteer to assist the police in Thailand are getting a bad deal, - and so are their 'customers' (the tourists and expats).

Whereas the volunteer programmes in other countries portray a professional and stable programme, with emphasis on stringent background checks and high quality training, I don't think the same can be said of the volunteer police programmes in Thailand.

- Is it really necessary for the volunteer to pay for his/her uniform and equipment out of his own funds?
- Why is the free medical insurance scheme that is provided for Thai volunteers who are injured in the course of their duties, denied to foreign volunteers?
- Why is the volunteer not assisted to obtain a work permit for his/her volunteer work, as required by Thai Labour Law?
- Why are there no free, Thai language classes for those volunteers who are weak in the spoken Thai language.

I know that I'm banging my head against a brick wall with my comments, but I have no qualms in sticking my head above the parapet and asking for answers to these questions.

Simon

[simon43]

IrishIvan, I can't see from your photo if that's a Thai or foreigner.

If a foreigner in the TPVs, then that shirt is not correct attire - it should read 'Tourist Police 'Volunteers'

Simon

[IrishIvan]

IrishIvan, I can't see from your photo if that's a Thai or foreigner.

If a foreigner in the TPVs, then that shirt is not correct attire - it should read 'Tourist Police 'Volunteers'

DSCF3574.JPG

Simon

its a foreigner. He had the usual batman style utility belt on the right hand side, complete with cuffs and pepper spray. Plus a torch which is unusual on a hot sunny afternoon

[simon43]

Hmm, Royal Thai Police maybe? But my RTP shirt is black...

Maybe he is not a TPV but a salaried (and very special) foreign TP officer.

The torch on a sunny day is fine. I carry mine all the time in case someone knocks my lights out...

Simon

Edited December 21, 2013 by LivinginKata
Inflammatory remark removed

[IrishIvan]

Hmm, Royal Thai Police maybe? But my RTP shirt is black...

Maybe he is not a TPV but a salaried (and very special) foreign TP officer.

The torch on a sunny day is fine. I carry mine all the time in case someone knocks my lights out...

Simon

No I dont think so Simon, if I had to guess I think that the shirts was one of the free ones given out by the bar owner in Kamala a few weeks ago. IMO this is somewhat inappropriate for a man who runs a bar (which obviously doesnt sell just alcohol), to be giving away freebies to the police